A NEW chief executive has been appointed by the Earl Shilton Building Society

Paul Tilley, 46, from Desborough, joins from the Market Harborough Building Society where he had been for the past 27 years, most recently as head of business services and compliance.

He takes up his new role following the retirement of Neville Thompson, after 21 years of service at the society.

Paul said: “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to join the team at such a well respected society as the Earl Shilton, which has a great reputation for delivering outstanding personal service focused on the needs of its members and is also in excellent financial health.

“ I hope to bring an energy and enthusiasm to take the business through its next stage of development in the interests of our members.

“It is a challenging market both for savers given the low interest rate environment and for borrowers where the wider-economic difficulties present mortgage availability and affordability issues for some. Economic recovery will be long and slow but there are, and will continue to be, opportunities for many businesses and individuals.”

Mr Tilley was born in Great Bowden near Market Harborough. He attended Robert Smyth School in the town before studying at Northampton College to become an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.

His career at the Market Harborough Building Society saw him in a wide range of roles including sales, operations, risk management, product development and marketing.

He is married to Amanda and has two children, Charlotte, 17, and Alexander, 13.

Outside of work he is a Justice of the Peace (magistrate), both referees and coaches rugby union and has been a Leicester Tigers season ticket holder for more than 25 years.

He was unveiled as the chief executive in waiting at the society’s annual meeting last year when his appointment was seen as confirming their wish to remain independent rather than merge with a larger society.

The society is Britain’s 43rd largest and centred on the town and the surrounding area with 70% of its 12,000 members living locally.

Rupert Clarke, chairman at the Earl Shilton, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Paul to the society.

“His wide experience of the industry and of Leicestershire in particular, plus his enthusiasm for the role, particularly stood out and we look forward to working very closely with him.”

For more information on the society’s full range of products please visit either branch at 22 The Hollow, Earl Shilton or 7 Malt Mill Bank, Barwell. Alternatively call Hinckley 844422, email enquire@esbs.co.uk, follow on Twitter @earlshiltonbs or visit the website at www.esbs.co.uk.